


Cake

by Utuinen



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Eraqus has a sweet tooth, First Meetings, Gen or Pre-Slash, M/M, Would become romantic if I continued further with this au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-12 01:36:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20163520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Utuinen/pseuds/Utuinen
Summary: Xehanort doesn't much enjoy attending high society parties as no one ever talks to him, but one night he has a fleeting meeting with an eccentric boy his age.





	Cake

“I’m terribly sorry but I have to ask you, if you don’t mind--” Xehanort heard an unfamiliar voice right next to his ear and turned to look. “--are you going to eat that cake?”

It was another boy, around Xehanort’s age and with black, curly hair. With a glance it was impossible for Xehanort to say whose son he was, but whoever he was, he had some nerve. First of all, the thing was, none of the other boys or girls had talked to Xehanort voluntarily during any of the parties he had attended. A polite and cold “a pleasure to meet you” when their parents introduced themselves to each other was all he had heard, time and time again, not that any more than that should or could be expected. They were all of reputable families, after all, and it would look bad for them to associate themselves with Xehanort or his parents, new money as they were. Xehanort’s father was quite adamant about trying to make connections but it was slow going, their wealth the only reason they couldn’t be completely denied the invitations to begin with.

Second of all, Xehanort couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that the boy had went against the better knowledge of literally everyone else in the room to ask him about his _cake_.

“I... don’t know. Probably not,” Xehanort said.

If there was some sort of high society protocol about how to answer that question, he certainly didn’t know it.

“Great! Could I maybe have it then?” the other boy smiled from ear to ear.

“That’s the last slice, you see,” he continued, nodding towards the cake.

Xehanort really didn’t see why or how that had led to the boy’s quest of asking other people for theirs, since he was quite sure there were plenty of other things left to eat, but he guessed it didn’t really matter. He had only taken the plate in the first place because he had felt stupid standing around with nothing to do with his hands, and he would have likely abandoned it soon somewhere where no one would notice. The boy could have the cake for all he cared, and maybe he even deserved it for the fact that he had talked to Xehanort.

“Here,” Xehanort said and handed the plate over. “It’s all yours. I don’t even really like sweets.”

“Thank you!” the boy beamed.

“I get told I like them way too much all the time.”

“I can see why,” Xehanort muttered under his breath, regretting it immediately. He wasn’t so optimistic as to say this was a beginning of a friendship, but he should still try and not to offend any of these people when his father was trying so hard to get on their good graces.

The boy, however, only laughed. 

It was a happy, catchy laugh full of joy, and even made Xehanort give out a bit hesitant smile in return.

“Are you new?” the boy asked and Xehanort’s smile died immediately.

“My family only moved here recently. We’re still building our presence here,” Xehanort answered dryly.

“Oh, I didn’t mean it as a bad thing. I think you’re really interesting,” the boy said. “I just thought I hadn’t seen you around.”

“Well, I don’t think I’ve seen you, either,” Xehanort stated right back. 

“I was ill for a while so I couldn’t attend any of the balls. I feel better now so father decided I should show my face here today even though it’s not a big event, just so everyone would know I’m fine,” the boy said. He still didn’t seem to mind Xehanort’s rude tone in the slightest. He was an interesting one himself, too, that was for sure.

“So, you’re a local then?” Xehanort asked and attempted to upheld the conversation. “If you could attend on such a short notice.”

“Yes, we live very close by,” the boy nodded.

“Then you probably have a lot of friends here. Why’re you still talking to me?” So much for the polite conversation. Xehanort knew he could have a sharp tongue and he was too used to speaking his mind, but he tried his best to come up with something that would soften his words. “I’m not hiding any more cake, if that’s what you’re after.”

“Damn, and here I was hoping,” the boy smiled, completely unfazed. Then he shrugged. “Nah, I just thought it would be nice to talk with you. I’m guessing the others are giving you a hard time for being new.”

“I don’t need pity,” Xehanort said, his mood darker by each word.

“It’s not pity. More like… spite, maybe? I think it’s stupid we’re not supposed to talk to new people. How on earth are we supposed to make friends like that? At least this conversation has been a lot more fun than any I’ve ever had with them,” the boy said.

“That being said, if I _am_ bothering you, I can go.”

“No, you’re… not,” Xehanort said, surprised as he noticed his mood lifting once again. Xehanort didn’t see the end of the other boy’s eccentricity but he was getting more and more interested.

“Say,” the boy started with a smile. “Can you play chess?”

“Chess?” Xehanort asked. He had no idea how that related to anything.

“Yeah.”

“I know the rules,” Xehanort said, puzzled.

“Are you any good?” the boy asked.

“I am,” Xehanort said before he stopped to think. He hadn’t played in a short while but he had barely lost even against adults in his childhood. The weird boy beamed.

“Do you want to come and play with me some time? No one takes the game seriously against me and it’s so boring,” he said.

“I… guess? But I’m not going to go easy on you,” Xehanort said, a small smirk dawning on his face.

“That’s perfect! By the way, what’s your na--” the boy was going to ask, but was interrupted in the middle of his sentence.

“Oh, there you are, young master Eraqus!” a valet approached them, giving Xehanort only the quickest and dirtiest look he could. “Good, you’re not busy with anything. Master is already tired and retiring for the evening, so you should come along.”

“Maybe next time, then,” Eraqus smiled at Xehanort as if he didn’t notice how badly the valet would have wanted to completely ignore his whole existence.

With a single wave, the boy was gone, having pushed the nearly empty plate back into Xehanort’s hands as there were no tables nearby. There wasn’t too much of the cake left anymore, probably enough for a single bite, and Xehanort thought it would be a huge waste to just leave it like that so he sighed and took the little silver fork in his hand. The cake was covered with marzipan and filled with sugary fruit jams and cream, and Xehanort knew immediately he couldn’t have ever eaten the whole slice. He was almost in awe of how Eraqus could have eaten it all so quick while still talking, but the feeling turned to something akin to horror when he considered that the boy might have already eaten whole slices earlier during the evening.

“Way too sweet to my liking…” he muttered to himself as he went looking for a place to set down the now empty plate.

_Young master Eraqus_. It was actually a name Xehanort had heard appearing here and there in conversations several times before. Eraqus was his complete opposite in many ways. His family was one of the most high-standing and oldest ones in the region, and they did not need to barter for anyone’s respect. He was also said to be naturally gifted in anything he pursued, and there couldn’t have been anyone less suited to be Xehanort’s friend. Yet he had said “next time” and even asked him to play with him, and Xehanort felt that maybe…

Maybe the next party wouldn’t be so dreadful after all.

**Author's Note:**

> In theory I would have a whole au to go with this, but... We'll see if I'll ever write it.
> 
> Thank you for reading and hopefully you could enjoy it!


End file.
